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Last updated on July 27th, 2017 at 12:00 pm
George Best has taken his final penalty. Met him once, in the late 80s; very friendly chap until he discovered I was a journalist.
- At one stage I was staying at ordinary digs in Chelsea. As luck would have it, the pub across the road, the Phene Arms was Bests’ local. I remember him in his three piece suit and his foxy lady in her leather trousers. I had a chat at the bar, he seemed a nice bloke.Posted by Nic on 2005 11 28 at 07:11 AM • permalink
- I never met him, but I have heard he was a nice bloke – I wonder whether that was his downfall. Surrounded by people who wanted to buy him a drink, he couldn’t say no, and got trapped.
Here in the UK they have been showing snippets of his infamous appearance on the Wogan show when he went on smashed and made a goose of himself.
Why did they let him go on – surely he was already drunk beforehand? My theory: they wanted the cheap thrill of seeing a has-been soccer star drunk on TV just to liven up the show.
I wonder whether the whole thing was set up. Got him in early, opened up the bar, and hey presto.
Posted by Flying Giraffe on 2005 11 28 at 07:47 AM • permalink
- Giraffe’s post is eerie, considering that here in the US, Best is considered “the Joe Namath of soccer,” and Broadway Joe’s clumsy flirting with ESPN’s Suzy Kolber perhaps destroyed his mystique forever. Was Celtic’s JImmy Johnstone in his class (or glass)?Posted by chinesearithmetic on 2005 11 28 at 12:06 PM • permalink
- Well Barrie,
At the risk of being extremely repetitive, Best’s most quoted quip was, “I spent a lot of money on booze, birds, and fast cars. The rest I just squandered”.
Very “Lad-ish” sure but what guy hasn’t fantasized about such a Devil-may-care lifestyle?
Nowadays, it’s only extreme right wing bloggers who can afford long lunches with expensive wines while the rest of us dine on plastic turkey.
- Well JDB,
You approve of fantasizing about remaining an irresponsible, self-absorbed juvenile for life [Best was 58].
The ABC radio presenter did not just fantasise but he editorialised, *approving* many people ‘loving’ to be so irresponsible.
I put it down to generations infantilised by ‘loving’ rock lifestyles, and the current ABC need to pose as libertarian by ‘loving’ a drug runner who is facing execution for his crime..
For the record, I have never had a long lunch in my life.
